Winstead Wandering

Prone to Wander

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

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Take cupcakes made from a jazzed-up chocolate cake mix, stuff them with rich and creamy chocolate ganache, and top with smooth peanut butter frosting. You’ve got Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes!

Take cupcakes made from a jazzed-up chocolate cake mix, stuff it with rich and creamy chocolate ganache, and top it with smooth peanut butter frosting. You've got Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes!

I volunteer to make the cupcakes any time there’s a baby shower at church. As a food blogger, I’m always looking for an excuse to bake and to test my recipes on others. I knew the most recent shower was for a couple expecting a baby girl, so I wracked my brain for some fun fruity flavor ideas. I had plenty of inspiration, but I kept coming back to chocolate.

Finally I decided to say to heck with the idea of a light and girly cupcake. I made these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes instead. The cupcake recipe is the same as the one I used to make my Triple Chocolate Cupcakes; the ganache is the same, too. The frosting, though, is where things get interesting. I took my decadent cream cheese frosting and subbed for peanut butter for the cream cheese. The result was a smooth, delightfully-rich frosting that stole the cupcake show.

Take cupcakes made from a jazzed-up chocolate cake mix, stuff it with rich and creamy chocolate ganache, and top it with smooth peanut butter frosting. You've got Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes!

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Homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

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Put the store-bought stuff down; homemade chocolate buttercream frosting is surprisingly easy and tastes 100 times better than those other options.

Put the store-bought stuff down; homemade chocolate buttercream frosting is surprisingly easy and tastes 100 times better than those other options.

Can I make a confession?

I usually use boxed cake mixes. I know, I know. I’m breaking all kinds of food blogger commandments. You know what, though? No one notices. Part of that is because it’s completely possible to make moist, delicious cakes and cupcakes from a box. Mostly, though, I think it’s because people couldn’t care less what the cake part is like when it’s topped with homemade frosting.

As okay as I am with boxed mixes, I am absolutely not okay with canned frosting; you’ve got to make your own. It isn’t that difficult- it’s way easier than from-scratch cake- and there’s no comparison flavor-wise. Trust me, you’ll be a dessert hero when you present anything topped with this homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.

The secret to this frosting is the way it’s finished. After all the ingredients are added, you turn up the mixer and let it work its magic. The beaters will whip air into the frosting, lightening the color and giving you the fluffiest buttercream you can imagine.

Put the store-bought stuff down; homemade chocolate buttercream frosting is surprisingly easy and tastes 100 times better than those other options.

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Cast Iron Pizza

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You can make crispy, melty perfectly delicious homemade cast iron pizza in less time than it takes the delivery man to show up.

You can make crispy, melty perfectly delicious homemade cast iron pizza in less time than it takes the delivery man to show up.

It’s traditional in our house to have homemade pizza every year on the day we decorate our Christmas tree. It’s one of my favorite traditions for a few reasons. Partly, it’s because the custom is one J and I started together after we got married. A big part of it, though, is because I really stinking love pizza.

You can make crispy, melty perfectly delicious homemade cast iron pizza in less time than it takes the delivery man to show up.

Don’t worry, Christmas-tree-decorating-night isn’t the only time I make this cast iron pizza. We have it a couple times a month. Surprisingly, the recipe is even on my short list of quick go-to recipes. The dough recipe is an easy no-rise version that doesn’t require hours of wait time. I’m not lying when I say you can have this pizza on the table faster than delivery will arrive.

I topped this one with pepperoni because it’s an easy classic. You could top yours with anything you have, including yummy Mexican leftovers or last night’s veggies.

You can make crispy, melty perfectly delicious homemade cast iron pizza in less time than it takes the delivery man to show up.

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Homemade Salt Dough Ornaments

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Homemade salt dough ornaments couldn’t be simpler to make. With only three ingredients, they’re the perfect easy craft for kids of all ages.

Homemade salt dough ornaments couldn't be simpler to make. With only three ingredients, they're the perfect easy craft for kids of all ages.

When B and I made homemade cinnamon ornaments a couple weeks ago, she was pretty disappointed she didn’t get to paint or decorate them. I knew right away she would love making and decorating these homemade salt dough ornaments and, since they’re almost as easy as the cinnamon ones, we whipped up a batch the next day.

Homemade salt dough ornaments couldn't be simpler to make. With only three ingredients, they're the perfect easy craft for kids of all ages.

I broke out a bunch of acrylic paints and we had a blast decorating Christmas trees, snowmen, and angels. Because I want these ornaments to be around for a long time, I let the paint dry and them sealed them with clear acrylic. You could use a spray; I used a jar left over from sealing the furniture in the nursery.

We put the first batch on our tree at home and, since the activity was such a hit, I made a double patch for the kids to paint and give to teachers and staff members at school. Homemade salt dough ornaments will definitely be a new Christmas tradition for the Winstead family.

 

When your homemade salt dough ornaments are dry, string them with ribbon, embroidery floss, or festive baker’s twine. They’re ready to display (or give away)!

Homemade salt dough ornaments couldn't be simpler to make. With only three ingredients, they're the perfect easy craft for kids of all ages.

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Homemade Cinnamon Ornaments

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With just two ingredients, you can make easy homemade cinnamon ornaments: a perfect DIY for decorating or gifting. What a fun craft for kids!

With just two ingredients, you can make easy homemade cinnamon ornaments: a perfect DIY for decorating or gifting. What a fun craft for kids!

Homemade cinnamon ornaments are something from my childhood, although I can’t for the life of me remember where and when I made them. I have no idea if it was at home, at school, at church. I’ve got nothing. Regardless, when I thought about what sorts of crafts I wanted to do this year with the kids, I knew these fragrant ornaments would make the list.

B and I whipped up a batch during Thanksgiving break. The dough couldn’t possibly be any easier; there are only two ingredients. It rolled out easily, and we had fun choosing shapes. These homemade cinnamon ornaments bake low and slow, leaving the whole house smelling deliciously like Christmas.

With just two ingredients, you can make easy homemade cinnamon ornaments: a perfect DIY for decorating or gifting. What a fun craft for kids!

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Homemade Pizza Pockets

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No cooking sleeve required: these homemade pizza pockets are nothing but fresh, seasoned dough, filled with your favorite meats, vegetables, and cheeses. And they’re freezer-friendly!

No cooking sleeve required: these homemade pizza pockets are nothing but fresh, seasoned dough, filled with your favorite meats, vegetables, and cheeses. And they're freezer-friendly!

Me and pizza. We have a deep love for one another. Actually, it’s pretty one-sided, but I have love enough for us both.

One thing I don’t love, though, is store bought pizza pockets. They were a pretty big deal when I was in junior high; twice a week my parents would give me cash to buy one, along with a can of Snapple, from the student store. The endless wait to use one of two microwaves was always worth it because of the pouch of hot, melted cheese waiting for me at the end.

Now? Now, I have a hard time remembering what I saw in them. I’ll get a craving for one a couple times a year, but each time I break down and buy a box, I always tell myself, “See? They’re not good. At all. Don’t do this again.”

With this recipe, I don’t have to. I can make my own homemade pizza pockets and I get to know exactly what goes in to them. The batch in these pictures was an afterthought, thrown together with the same quick dough I use for grilled pizza. I stuffed them with pepperoni and mozzarella and called it good- and they were, so good.

When I plan ahead, I love to fill my dough with onions, peppers, or leftover marinated chicken. They’d be divine with oven-fried chimichanga filling or even vegetables only. It doesn’t really matter what goes inside; anything wrapped in homemade dough, brushed with olive oil, and sprinkled with garlic salt is going to be a winner.

No cooking sleeve required: these homemade pizza pockets are nothing but fresh, seasoned dough, filled with your favorite meats, vegetables, and cheeses. And they're freezer-friendly!

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Homemade Freezer Garlic Bread

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Don’t waste your money on the processed store-bought stuff. It only takes ten minutes and five ingredients to make your own homemade freezer garlic bread.

Don't waste your money on the processed store-bought stuff. It only takes ten minutes and five ingredients to make your own homemade freezer garlic bread.

I don’t love to admit it, but I have a weakness for store-bought frozen Texas toast. You know, the oval-shaped stuff you bake from frozen? It just pairs so perfectly with any sort of pasta dish. Of course, I much prefer homemade garlic bread, but we rarely buy any type of bread that isn’t regular whole wheat sandwich bread. You can bet if I make a loaf of French bread from scratch, I’ll be using at least a few slices to make homemade garlic bread.

Don't waste your money on the processed store-bought stuff. It only takes ten minutes and five ingredients to make your own homemade freezer garlic bread.

It occurred to me a while back that it wouldn’t be difficult at all to make homemade freezer garlic bread. It only took me a few minutes to put together the spread, butter the toast, and stick everything in the freezer. Now we have access to garlic bread any time we want it and we didn’t pay for the over-priced, over-processed version from the freezer section of the grocery store.

Don't waste your money on the processed store-bought stuff. It only takes ten minutes and five ingredients to make your own homemade freezer garlic bread.

One of the best things about this homemade freezer garlic bread- other than how awesome it tastes- is that it can totally be adapted to your own preferences. You can use any sort of homemade or store-bought bread. You can adjust the amounts of the seasonings I use, or you could add in your own favorites. You can even toss in some Parmesan cheese to kick it up a notch.

Don't waste your money on the processed store-bought stuff. It only takes ten minutes and five ingredients to make your own homemade freezer garlic bread.

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Quick and Easy Grilled Pizza

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Don’t bother turning on the oven. In the time it takes for the delivery man to arrive, you can whip up this quick and easy grilled pizza.

I long ago perfected- in my opinion, anyway- homemade pizza. And then I made the perfect bagel pizza, because why not? Those two recipes are pretty much all we need most of the time.

Don't bother turning on the oven. In the time it takes for the delivery man to arrive, you can whip up this quick and easy grilled pizza.

Pizza is awesome, but sometimes you just want to mix things up, especially when it’s hot and you don’t want to turn the oven on  it turns out a grill isn’t just a convenient way to avoid heating up your kitchen; the high heat it produces is actually reminiscent of a pizza oven, meaning it can cook a mean pizza.

This pizza dough recipe is based on my world’s best homemade pizza dough, but I made a couple changes to make it ready to go much faster. After you mix the dough up you only have to allow it to rest for five minutes before you begin assembling your pizzas.

I chose to top these pizzas with pepperoni. We’re kind of traditionalists. Like every other kind of pizza, though, they’re awesome covered in whatever you choose. My favorite version includes roasted jalapeños and red onions

Don't bother turning on the oven. In the time it takes for the delivery man to arrive, you can whip up this quick and easy grilled pizza.

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Homemade Tropical Summer Stovetop Potpourri

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Bring fresh summer scents inside with this homemade tropical summer potpourri made of lemons, strawberries, and coconut extract.

Bring fresh summer scents inside with this homemade tropical summer potpourri made of lemons, strawberries, and coconut extract.

My easy fall stovetop potpourri got a very good reception. I guess I’m not the only one looking to create a homey-scented house without the use of artificial sprays or waxes. I made that potpourri many times through fall and winter and enjoyed how comforting it made our home smell.

I had a thought, though. If cooling temperatures merit a homemade potpourri, what about hot summer days full of smelly shoes and sweaty little people? Yeah, we need a stovetop potpourri for that, too. So I set out to create a summery version of the smell-good stuff.

I knew I wanted to use coconut extract because it’s such a distinctly summer scent. I didn’t want the whole concoction to smell like sunscreen, though, so I added lemon juice. To me, there’s not much more fresh- or clean-smelling than citrus. And then, because I had a few sad-looking strawberries in the refrigerator, I sliced those and tossed them in, too.

All the ingredients in this summer potpourri come together to make a sweet, fresh concoction that’ll perfume your whole house in the most light, refreshing way. It’s as close as you’ll get to a tropical vacation without the sunburn and the sand in your swimsuit.

Bring fresh summer scents inside with this homemade tropical summer potpourri made of lemons, strawberries, and coconut extract.

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Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

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You don’t have to head to your favorite restaurant to get an over-priced glass of this stuff. You can whip up a sweet, refreshing glass of homemade strawberry lemonade at home.

Strawberry lemonade has long been a favorite drink of mine. When we lived in Oregon, one of our favorite inexpensive date night restaurants was Red Robin. I’m addicted to their fries, and their freckled lemonade never ceases to brighten my day.

homemade strawberry lemonade3

Now that we live in Mississippi, the closest Red Robin is more than three hours away. I’m sure there are other, closer restaurants that serve it, but I don’t need them anymore. I perfected this homemade strawberry lemonade more than three years ago and I haven’t looked back since.

I grab a pound of strawberries and whip up a batch to celebrate the start of strawberry season every year, and I spend the rest of the spring and summer looking for any excuse to make it again. I tend to keep a pitcher of homemade lemonade in the fridge, making the whole recipe that much easier to throw together.

This homemade strawberry lemonade gets rave reviews from everyone I serve it to. The lemonade itself is wonderfully tart, with a perfect balance of sweetness. With the addition of the flavorful strawberry sauce, the whole thing is refreshing and sweet and drinks like a glass of summer.

You don't have to head to your favorite restaurant to get an over-priced glass of this stuff. You can whip up a sweet, refreshing glass of homemade strawberry lemonade at home.

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